Doll eyes with lashes



Feb. 2, 1932. KONOFF 1,843,612

DOLL EYES WITH LASHES Filed Nov. 13 19 26 A TTORNE Y IN VEN TOR v Patented Feb. 2, 1932 STATES ALEXANDER KONOFF, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, 'IO MARGON CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK 'DOL-L EYES WITH LASHES This invention relates to an improvement in doll eyes, and particularly to doll eyes with lashes formed as" a part thereof, the

' present structures being in the nature of im 5 provement upon the structure shown and despzribed in my pending application Serial No. 1 ,102.

An object of the present improvement is to provide means for retaining the lashes in m fixed connection with the eye ball or shell.

A more detailed object is to provide an eye ball structure having parts arranged to receive the lashes for holding the lashes in proper connection therewith while maintain- 15 ing the spherical contour of the outer surface of the shell.

Other objects and aims of the invention, more or less specific than those referred to above, will be in part obvious and in part 20 pointed out in the course of the following description of the elements, combinations, arrangements ofparts and applications of principles constituting'the invention; and the scope of protection contemplated will be 25 indicated in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings which are to be taken as a part of this specification, and in which I have shown merely a preferred form of embodiment of the invention Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of an eye shell constructed in'accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the structure seen in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional View taken upon the plane of line III-III of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4: is a front elevational view of an eye shell embodying a modification of'the lash retaining means.

:0 Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional. view taken upon the plane of line VV of Fig. 4.

. Fig. 6 is a similar sectional view showing a modified means of retaining the lashes seen in Figs. 4 and 5.

Fig. 7 is a front elevational view of an eye shell embodying a further modification of the lash retaining means.

Fig. 8 is a side elevational view of the structure seen in Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view taken indicates the main eye shell member. This is substantially hemispherical in shape, being formed of any appropriate material such as thin sheet metal, celluloid, or the like, and having visible upon its outer surface the representation of an iris as 1.

The eye lash as G is arranged in the appropriateposition above the iris 1, and to retain the eye lash in position a separately formed partspherical cap piece as H is provided overlying the inner ends of the lashes '1 and serving to clamp said inner ends against the underlying surface of shell L, said cap piece being formed of sheet metal, celluloid, or other appropriate material.

The outer surface of the cap piece-H is preferably of flesh color so as to simulate the human eye lid, in contrast with the white portion of the eye upon the shell L surrounding the iris 1.

In order that the outer surface of the completed eye ball may be of substantially continuous hemispherical contour notwithstanding the presence of the overlying cap piece or eye lid member H the portion as 2 of the main shell L underlying said cap piece is preferably depressed to a suflicient extent to accommodate the inner ends of the lashes G and the thickness of the cap piece and thereby enable the outer surface of the cap piece to stand in the same spherical plane about the spherical centre as 3 of the eyeball as the main outer surface as 4 of the shell L.

By this means the completed eye ball, when in operative position within the eye socket of a doll head or the like, will present a substantially continuous spherical surface concentric with the centre 3 for engaging and rubbing against the surface of the eyesocket in the usual manner, and the cap piece H, utilized for clampingthe lashes in position, consists of a separate piece of material which may on this account be economically colored to simulate the human eye lid.

The manner of retaining the cap piece in position may take any desired form, either by cement or other form of bond.

Usually the lacquer present upon the outer surface of the shell member L provides sufficient adhesion for retaining the cap piece, it being noted that the opposite side portions or ends as 5-5 of the cap piece constitute arm-lilre members embracing opposite side portions of the shell L. The cap piece may be shaped so that the normal distance between these arm portions 55 prior to the application of the cap piece over the shell, is slightly less than the width of the shell, thus creating a tight frictional grip of said arms against the surface of the shell. This frictional grip may be depended upon as a mechanical bond either with or without the presence of lacquer or other adhesive between the parts, or other mechanical bonding elements may be provided in the form of interengaging depressions, tangs, or other devices.

The eye lash member (3- may consist simply of a series of hairs laid in position between the shell and the cap piece or it may consist of a body part 6 for holding these hairs in unitary form for handling as an entity in placing them in position upon the eye structure, such a unitary eye lash member being shown and more fully described in my copending application above referred to.

If desired the body part 6 of the eye lash member may consist of or include adhesive material so that said body part will be serviceable not only in holding the hairs assembled in unitary form but also in holding the eye lash member entity connected temporarily in proper position upon the outer surface of shell L prior to the attachment of 'cap piece H, and also in holding, or assist ing to hold, the cap piece H permanently connected with shell L when the cap piece has been adjusted into position upon said shell.

At the point where the depressed portion 2 of shell L connects with the remainder of the shell, and particularly in the locality immediately beneath the eye lash G, the material of the shell is preferably shaped to provide a relatively inclined outer surface portion 7 across which the eye lashes G extend as they emerge from beneath the lower edge as 8 of the cap piece H,said inclined surface being disposed so as to direct the eye lashes abruptly outwardly at a desired angle from the surface of the eye ball and from the lower edge of the eye lid or cap piece H.

In the modification Figs. 4; and 5 the shell L has substantially its entire outer spherical surface concentric with the centre 3. A slit as 9 is provided through the material. of this shell and the adjacent partsof the shell are shaped to provide an opening as 10 for action of the shell below the slit and surrounding the iris will. be white, as before.

The portion as 12 of the shell immediately below the slit 9 is bent inwardly for the purposes, first, of opening the slit to a suitable extent to permit of the easy introduction of the eye lash member therethrough without necessity for removing any of the material of the shell to form the opening '10, second, of making said opening to face in a direction downwardly toward the lower portion of the shell instead of directly out wardly radially of the shell, and, third, of providing a suitably inclined outer surface portion as 13 immediately below the opening across which the eye lashes Gr extend as they emerge from the opening 10, said inclined surface being disposed so as to direct the eye lashes abruptly outwardly at a desired angle from the surface of the eye ball and from the lower edge of the eyelidforming part.

The modification suggested in Fig. 6 is identical with that seen in Figs. l and 5 except that in this instance it is contemplated that after the eye lashes have been inserted in proper position within the opening 10 then the portion 12 of the shell shall be bent outwardly again just a sufficient amount to grip the eye lash members as in a vise to thus hold the eye lash members without the necessity for the use of any adhesive material, that is to say that according to this modification. the parts of the shell at opposite sides of the slit are intended to stand in engagement, as opposite members of a clamp or vise, to hold the eye lash member against dislodgment. The cement or other adhesive material indicated 11 in Fig. 5 may if desired be utilized as an auxiliary retaining means for the eye lash member but usually either the clamp grip of the shell parts, or the adhesive, are suiiicient alone.

To prevent possible shearing of the eye lash member when the part 12 is being moved to clamping engagement therewith it is sometimes necessary to reinforce the eye lash member against such mutilation, and to this end the drawings Fig. 6 illustrates re-inforcing pieces 1616 in the regions which are directly engaged by the parts of the shell at opposite sides of the slit.

'cap piece H as in the structures Figs. 1 to 8.

In fact the structure Figs. 7 to 9 is indentical with the structure Figs. 1 to 3 eXcept that in this instance the main shell L instead of being provided with adepress-ed portion inset with respect to the main surface of the shell, said shell is continuously spherical but of a slightly smaller diameter than the diameter of the main surface of the shell of Fig. 3, the difference in diameter corresponding to the thickness of the cap piece. As graphically seen in Fig; 9 the diameter of the main shell L of Fig. 3, that is the diameter of the outer spherical surface of the completed eye ball, is represented by the dotted line 1 1. Thecap piece If is of the same dimensions as in Fig. 3 and occupies the same position with respect to line 14. The main shell L is of a diameter less than line 14 by the thickness of cap H so that when the two parts are assembled the over-all diameter of the assembled articles corresponds with the diameter of line 14.

By this means'it is possible to utilize a simple smooth spherical form of main shell L and yet to maintain substantially the true spherical surface of the completed article, it

being noted that in mounting this eye for use within the eye socket of a doll head the eye will be pivotally supported upon a bearing as 15 which is at the centre of the completed structure, that is the centre of line 14.

The structure Fig. 10 is identical with that seen in Fig. 9 except that it proposes that the lower edge portion of the eye lid member H shall be turned or bent inwardly as at 17. This form of the lower edge of the eyelid member produces several decided advantages, namely, it disposes theedge surface as 18 of the eye lid sufiiciently inwardly of the remainder of the inner surface of the eye lid so that said edge surface comes prominently into evidence as a gripping element against the eye lash G thus insuring that the eye lash element shall be held firmly directly at the lower edge of the eye lid, and second, it produces an appearance of greaterthickness to the .eye lid member, and third, it disposes the raw edge as 18 of the eye lid inan obscure position and brings the colored surface portion19 of the lid around to constitute the edge of the completed lid, the whole effect being a much closer simulation of the human eye lid than in thestructure of Fig. 9 where the raw edge ofthe material of the eye lid is left exposed.

' The actual thickness of the material from which these parts are manufactured, litthe more than the thickness of a sheet of ordinary writing paper, and the advantage of the present modification will be therefore apparent. Also it will be apparent that the general 'semispherical contour of the outer surface of the completed eye about the cenless tightly clamped.

tre 15 will not be to any material extent upset by the slight apparent increase in thickness at the lower edge of the eye lid. In this connection it may be pointed out, as is apparent in Figs. 9 and 10, that the space as 20 which occurs between the. main shell of the eye and the eye lid member H is tapered so that it is wider at the lower edge of the lid than above saidedge, due to the presence of the eye lash beneath the lower edge.

appreciable distance upwardly beyond the lower edge causes the upper portion of the eye lash to be relatively tightly clamped between the shell and lid while the portion of the lash nearer to the lower edge of the lid is The inward turning of the lower edge may if desired be calculated to compensate for only this difference and insure as tight a clamping engagement of the lower edge of the lid against the lash as is effective against the upper edge of the lash, in which instance the presence of the inturned portion 17 at the lower edge of the lid will produce no deviation whatever from the relative positions of the shell and lid members with respect to line 14 as seen in Fig. 9.

It will of course be understood that the idea of turning in the lower edge of the eye lidforming part of the completed eye is not limited to the structure Fig. 9, as obviously it may be just as well utilized in the structures of the other figures referred to herein.

If desired the eye lash member may be connected with the eye lid member, by adhesive or otherwise, so that said two elements may be handled as a single entity, or may be dispensed, as a single article of manufacture, preparatory to their joint attachment in position upon the eye shell.

Eyes such as here shown will of course be used in pairs mounted upon suitable pivot supports in the customary manner, or otherwise.

As many changes could be made in this construction without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings, shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. An eye structure, comprising an eye shell member having the representation of an iris thereon, a separately formed member overlying the top part of said shell to represent an eye lid in position above said iris, an eye lash member interposed between said shell and said separately formed member and projecting from the lower edge of said separately formed member, and the outer ex- The fact that the eye lash member extends for an posed surfaces of said shell and separately formed member being semispherical and being in a common spherical surface.

2. An eye structure comprising a substantially hemispherical eye shell member having the representation of an iris thereon, a separately formed partspherical eye lid member overlying the upper portion of said shell, an eye lash member engaged between said shell and eye lid member and projecting beyond the lower edge of the eye lid member, and said shell being shaped to provide an inclined outer surface adjacent the lower edge of the eye lid member for giving an outwardly inclining direction to the projecting portion of the eye lash member.

3. An eye structure comprising a substantially hemispherical eye shell member having the representation of an iris thereon, a separately formed partspherical eye lid member overlying the upper portion of said shell, an eye lash member engaged between said shell and eye lid member and projecting beyond the lower edge of the eye lid member, the portion of the shell underlying said eye lid member being inset with respect to the remainder of said shell to thereby accommodate the eye lid member and eye lash and thereby place the outer exposed surfaces of said shell and eye lid member in a common spherical surface, and the portion of the shell at the juncture between the relatively depressed and relatively raised portions thereof being shaped to provide an inclined surface at the lower edge of the eye lid member in position to be engaged by the projecting portion of the eye lash member for thereby giving direction to said projecting portion of the eye lash member.

if. As an article of manufacture a partspherical eye lid member formed of sheet material colored on its outer surface, and the lower edge portion thereof being bent inwardly to carry the surface color thereof across the lower edge of the completed eye lid.

5. As an article of manufacture a part-- spherical eye lid member formed of sheet material colored on its outer surface, the lower edge portion thereof being bent inwardly to carry the surface color thereof across the lower edge of the completed eye lid, and an eye lash member connected with said lid projecting from beneath said lower edge.

6. An eye structure comprising a semispherical shell, a separate eye lid member of sheet material overlying a portion of said shell, an eye lash held between said shell and lid and projecting below the lower edge of said lid, and the lower edge portion of said lid being turned inwardly against the eye lash.

7. An eye structure comprising a generally semispherical shell having the representation ofan iris appearing at its outer surface, the top portion'of the outer surface of said shell being relativelydepressed, an eyelash member having a part overlying said relatively depressed surface portion, another part of saideye lash member projecting from the depressed portion, and means at the topportion of said shell engaging the first part of the eyelash member to retain it connected with the shell.

8. An eye structure comprising a generally semispherical shell having the representation of an iris appearing at its outer surface, the top portion of the outersurface of said shell being relatively depressed, an eyelash member having a part overlying said relatively depressed surface portion, another part of said eyelash member projecting from the depressed portion, and an eyelid-forming means engaging the first part of the eyelash member to retain it connected with the shell.

9. An eye structure comprising a generally semispherical shell having the representation of an iris appearing. at its outer surface, the top portion of the outer surface of said shell being relativelydepressed and providing a shoulder at its juncture with the relatively raised portion of the shell, an eyelash member having a part overlying said relatively depressed surface portion, another part of said eyelash member projecting from the olepressed portion in engagement with said shoulder, and means overlying the said top portion of the shell engaging the first part of the eyelash member to hold it connected with the shell and to hold it against said shoulder to thereby cause the remainder of the eyelash member to project away from the surface of the shell.

10. An eye structure comprising a generally semispherical shell having the representation of an iris appearing at its outer surface, a portion of the outer surface of said shell being relatively depressed, and means serving as an eyelid member arranged in the depression formed by said relatively depressed portion.

11. An eye structure comprising a general ly semispherical shell having the representation of an iris appearing at its outer surface, a portion of the material of the shell being shaped to provide a shoulder directly upon the shell in the appropriate position for an eyelash above said iris, an eyelash member engaging said shoulder, and separate means applied over the shell in position above said shoulder and serving as an eyelid holding the eyelash member against said shoulder.

12. An eye structure comprising an eye shell member having the representation of an iris thereon, a partspherical eye lid member overlying the upper part of said shell, an eye lash member interposed between said shell and eye lid member and projecting below the lower edge of the eye lid member, the eye shell member and eye lid member being assembled with the outer exposed surfaces of said eye shell member and eye lid member lying in a common spherical surface.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ALEXANDER KONOFF. 

